


Daily Grind

by Thestral86



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amputee Bucky Barnes, M/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes, War Veteran Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2015-10-15
Packaged: 2018-04-25 07:11:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4951327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thestral86/pseuds/Thestral86
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers has worked at the busy, inner city coffee shop 'Daily Grind' for three years now. In the little spare time he has when not working, he loses himself in his sketches and dreams of leaving the city behind. As his past starts to catch up with him, a chance encounter might just change his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Daily Commute

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I have ever posted anything, so please be kind. Constructive criticism is appreciated :)
> 
> 7th April- just a minor edit of some mistakes I noticed when I read back over this chapter so I could work on chapter 2. I will hopefully be adding that shortly :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve meets a veteran on his morning commute and is inspired to sketch. We briefly meet two of Steve's work mates and his mysterious past is hinted at.

Steve has always thought that there is something oddly grounding about the smell of a commuter train in the early hours of the morning. That strange mix of diesel fumes, metal and sweaty human puts him in a contemplative mood as he watches the other sad souls unfortunate enough to be awake at 4:30am. This morning there is an old man huddled on a seat near the door, he's dressed in a patchy denim jacket and holey cargo pants. When he huddles forward a bit for warmth there's a clink as a pair of dog tags slip from his shirt. Steve is suddenly itching to draw this worn man, he wants to try to capture the stories he sees in those dark eyes. He ponders on what kind of life he must have lived and wonders how he came to end up where he is now.  
Pulling a dog eared sketch pad and a tiny stub of a pencil from his backpack, Steve sketches out a rough study of the man then does a close up of his eyes so he will remember them when he gets a chance to do a proper sketch.

"If you got a problem with me speak up squirt."

Steve jumps at the rough, angry voice, nearly ruining his sketch. He looks up to see the old man glaring at him and flushes guiltily.

"Gosh! No sir, I don't have a problem with you at all! I...I was j-just sketching you. Sorry...um... I guess it was kind of rude of me to do that without asking you. Do you want me to throw it out?"

The old mans face had lost the angry glare and he was now looking at Steve in a bewildered sort of confusion.

"Sketching me? Why would you want to do that? Here, I want to see!"

He held his hand out imperiously and Steve shuffled over to hand him the sketch pad. He hovered anxiously while the old man examined the picture in astonishment.

"You did that just then? This is amazing!"

"It's just a rough sketch so I had something to work from when I have more time. Um... sorry if that's weird. Its just... you inspired me. Aaannd that sounds even weirder so I'll just shut up now..."

Steve was flushed a brilliant scarlet, but the old man was laughing now.

"Kid, you're a real laugh! Nah, I don't mind you drawing me, especially as you're incredibly good at it! Can I get a copy of your finished sketch sometime though? My daughter would love it."

"Um, yeah sure, of course! Uh, how will I get it to you?"

"Here, my name's Jackson and this is my mobile number and I work at the V.A. weekdays and can be reached on that number then."

Steve took the scrap of paper Jackson had scribbled two numbers on and tucked it into his backpack, then reached out to shake hands.

"My name is Steve Rogers and I work every day 6 till 5 at the coffee shop Daily Grind near the state library. I would give you my number but I don't have a mobile sorry."

Jackson gives him a startled look " What the hell I thought every young punk had a mobile now a days! I've even got one!"

Steve just blushed again and looked at his feet mumbling "I can't afford one, but I don't mind, it's never bothered me not having one. I just use pay phones to call friends or they call me at work as I'm always there anyway."

"Huh. Okay kid" Jackson handed Steve back his sketchpad "Well just give me a call when you have a copy ready and maybe I'll drop into your coffee shop to pick it up."

"Sure Jackson, I'll do that. I should have it ready in about a week." Steve smiled and returned to his seat, immediately resuming his sketching. If Jackson wanted a copy, Steve wanted to get as many preliminary sketches as he could so he had good references for the final sketch. Maybe he would even do a painting for him... he could capture his eyes even better with oil paints, though that would take more than a week. Maybe he should do a graphite sketch then a painting after as a surprise.

Steve was so busy sketching and planning that he never noticed Jackson get off the train and he was startled to look up and realise that his was the next stop and he had been in his own world for a good hour.

 

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When Steve arrived at Daily Grind that morning, his co-worker and friend, Natasha was there already getting the shop opened up. She looked up from the coffee machine as he came in the back door greeting her absentmindedly as he went to the small office to drop his backpack.

"Okay, what have you got working away in that pretty head of yours Rogers?"

"What? Why do you think I'm working on something?" Steve poked his head back out of the office, totally baffled.

Natasha laughed and smiled at him affectionately. "Because captain airhead, you have that look on your face that you get when you're on one of your creative binges."

Steve poked his tongue out at her, but then smiled and launched into explaining his morning and his new project while Natasha listened as she continued the morning set up. When their other workmate Clint arrived at 7 to Steve still waffling about his sketch and painting ideas, he put up with it for half an hour then got Steve in a headlock and gave him noogies until he agreed to not talk about his art for the rest of the day or Clint was going to pants him in front of all the customers.

Steve still spent the rest of the day thinking about it and was a distracted from his coffee making for most of the day, but Clint and Natasha just grinned at each other over his head and quietly fixed any mistakes he made.

Before he left to catch his train home at the end of the day, Natasha gathered him up in a tight hug as she softly whispered that she was glad he had found some inspiration again.

Steve hugged her back, burying his face in her hair. "So am I Tash. I'm doing okay now, I promise."

Natasha gave him a final squeeze then released him. "Get home Rogers! I don't want you on the streets any later than you have to be!"

Steve grinned at her "Yes mam!"


	2. Daily Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve works on his sketch and has a crappy day at work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this will be short, I just wanted to get something out today. I will attempt to make more time for writing this week so it's not another 6 months between updates...  
> Apologies for any grammatical errors or typos etc, this has not been beta read. Feel free to point any errors out :)

Steve had gotten home from work that night and gone straight to his large sketch book to start on the picture that was stuck in his head. He forgot all about eating dinner and it was 1am when he eventually came up for air and noticed that his stomach was growling painfully at him and his head was pounding. He reluctantly tidied up his art gear then rummaged through his fridge for something easy to eat. Once he had scoffed down some reheated pizza he crawled into bed and passed out, exhausted from his long day.

 

When Steve's alarm went off he felt like he had only just shut his eyes. He groaned as he sat up and shut it off, blinking blearily and wishing he could just curl back up under his blanket and sleep a few hours longer. He had to go to work though, he couldn't afford even one day off. He had to hoard his sick days for when he really needed them, so with a deep sigh he got out of bed and struggled through his morning routine.

His morning was a fog of weariness that didn't clear until after he finished his second coffee. Natasha and Clint were warily avoiding getting in his way as they worked so he must have been noticeably grouchy. Oops. He gave them both a soft smile.  
"Sorry guys, I was up late last night. I didn't mean to take my tiredness out on you."  
They both gave him fond looks and Clint put an arm around his shoulders and ruffled his hair.  
"Ah no worries, you're kinda cute when you're all scowly Rogers. Like an angry kitten."  
Steve blushed and shrugged out of Clint's arm huffing irritably. "Clint! Leave my hair alone! And I am not a bloody kitten!" Natasha and Clint's laughter followed him as he stomped off to the bathroom to fix his hair and to avoid the customers until his blushing subsided.

The rest of the day was uneventful until just after three when the lunch rush was subsiding. Steve had left Natasha manning the coffee machine and Clint at the register while he took his turn clearing tables and tidying up the mess from the busy lunch period. Just as he was cleaning the table closest to the door, said door swung open with force and two big burly guys swept in. One of them pushed past a young collage girl who was leaving, knocking her bag from her shoulder and nearly sending her sprawling. Steve shot forward and steadied her by her arm.  
"Hey! You! Yeah you, I think you should apologise to the lady." he growled  
Big burly guy number one had turned at Steve's shout and sauntered back over to tower over him. "I think you should mind your own business fag, or do you want me to make you?"  
Steve seethed "oh I'd like to see you try to make me, now apologise or I'm kicking you out of my shop!"  
The young girl had decided that she'd had enough and was out the door with a muffled "don't worry about it" just as the second guy came up behind the first.  
Big burly guy one and two both laughed loudly and big burly guy one grabbed Steve by his shirt front and lifted him one handed. "Yeah? You and what army?"   
Suddenly a deep, pissed off voice came from behind Steve. "That would be me, now put Steve down and get the hell out of here before the count of five and I won't arrest your ass for assault. One...two...three..."  
Steve found himself deposited on the ground roughly and the two rude idiots left in a hurry. He turned around and gave a sheepish smile to his oldest friend. "Thanks Sam, I had it under control, but you did get it all happening a lot quicker."  
Sam snorted a laugh and patted Steve condescendingly on the head. "You keep telling yourself that punk."  
Steve punched him playfully in the shoulder and walked back to the counter where Natasha and Clint began bitching at him about not picking fights with people who could fold him in half one handed. Steve scowled at them both and stalked around the counter to the coffee machine, elbowing Natasha out of his way.  
"Shut up and serve our customers, I'm making Officer Wilson his coffee."  
Sam laughed along with Natasha and Clint while Steve continued to glare darkly at all three of them.  
"I swear I don't know why I'm friends with you guys, you all suck."  
They all just laughed harder.


End file.
